Galaxy Note II will be in your gigantic American hands by mid-November

The 5.5" phone is coming to Verizon, AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, and US Cellular.

Samsung's Galaxy Note II, the stylus-toting smartphone that was announced last month at the IFA trade show in Germany, will wash up on American shores "by mid-November" according to the company. Verizon Wireless, AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, and US Cellular will all be selling the phone.

Unlike the Galaxy SIII, which got a different processor when it came overseas, the newest Note will retain the specs announced last month: a 1.6GHz quad-core Exynos 4 SoC, 2GB of RAM, and LTE connectivity underneath a 5.5" 1280×720 Super AMOLED screen in a package that measures 3.17×0.37×5.95" and weighs 0.40 lb. Dual-band 802.11n, Bluetooth 4.0, NFC, a Wacom digitizer, an 8.0 megapixel rear-facing camera, and a 1.9 megapixel front-facing camera round out the specs, and its 16GB of memory will be expandable by up to 64GB via the integrated microSD card slot—no mention is made of whether the US will see the 32GB or 64GB versions of the phone, but it doesn't appear that they will be available at launch.

These specs should put its performance level roughly in line with the Galaxy Note 10.1 tablet we reviewed last month, and hopefully the Jelly Bean software update can smooth over some of the rough edges we encountered—look for our full review when the phone becomes available.

Andrew Cunningham
Andrew has a B.A. in Classics from Kenyon College and has over five years of experience in IT. His work has appeared on Charge Shot!!! and AnandTech, and he records a weekly book podcast called Overdue. Twitter@AndrewWrites

I'm really hoping for foldable screens sooner or later. As much as I like a large screen I also would hate carrying around such a beast everywhere.

Finding the sweet spot between screen size to look at and device size to handle is hard. I think for the time being I will just use a rather small smartphone for on the go and a larger tablet for when I'm sitting around at home. Apart from the "larger is better" instinct a 5.5" smartphone seems a bit of "worst of both worlds" to me, too large to comfortably carry and hold it when moving around and still too small to do anything really useful on it you couldn't do on a smaller device already.

Expect Apple to fire a cheap shot and try to get this banned as well, and if they get the good judge Lucy Cow...

Shots at apple are expected.Complaining about a Judge's decision you don't like is also expected.Debating a decision you don't like is welcomed... and perhaps you are correct.Calling a woman a cow because you disagree with her is sexist and sickening and totally detracts from anything else you have to say.

Joking aside, I find this somewhat intriguing for certain purposes, but don't think I could handle it being my phone all the time.

Many people say this in jest, but I ask that question seriously: Why not be able to make calls with your tablet? Voice recognition speed dial and headsets (wired or wireless) have been around for quite some time and would obviate mashing a book sized device against your face.

T Mobile is supposed to get it, if they do that solves all my problems, I can always pop SIM card into my Blackberry if I need something smaller, Data won't work for both Blackberry and other without having T Mobile switch it.

Voice will work though, and I can always pick up a cheap or free smaller Android phone if I really need one.

But I normally wear Cargo Pocket Pants now, I have a Scottevest Suit Jacket, doesn't look like they make that anymore, it has room for iPad 2, so pretty sure I can carry a Samsung Note II in it no problem.

I'm really hoping for foldable screens sooner or later. As much as I like a large screen I also would hate carrying around such a beast everywhere.

Finding the sweet spot between screen size to look at and device size to handle is hard. I think for the time being I will just use a rather small smartphone for on the go and a larger tablet for when I'm sitting around at home. Apart from the "larger is better" instinct a 5.5" smartphone seems a bit of "worst of both worlds" to me, too large to comfortably carry and hold it when moving around and still too small to do anything really useful on it you couldn't do on a smaller device already.

Still, an impressive device, no doubt.

YOU MORTALS WITH YOUR PUNY HANDS.

No seriously I have giant hands and I want one of these because of it. A 4-inch phone is already too big to carry in your pocket, so what's an extra inch and a half? (lewd jokes aside).

Odds are pretty good I won't buy one though, since LTE in my area is crap and getting locked into some overpriced 2-year contract when all you can get is 3g is stupid - and buying an unlocked one of these for MVNO use is probably going to set me back $700.

Joking aside, I find this somewhat intriguing for certain purposes, but don't think I could handle it being my phone all the time.

Many people say this in jest, but I ask that question seriously: Why not be able to make calls with your tablet? Voice recognition speed dial and headsets (wired or wireless) have been around for quite some time and would obviate mashing a book sized device against your face.

At least give me the option.

Or a flat credit card sized BT device with an e-ink display, battery, speaker and mic to use with a tablet to make phone calls with.

Or the very same thing (maybe without the display) in the same form factor as the stylus. Easy to carry clipped to a pocket and probably fairly comfortable to use like a phone. You could even slide it into the phablet/tablet to charge it there and to store it if you don't need it, very much like the stylus in the Note.

Joking aside, I find this somewhat intriguing for certain purposes, but don't think I could handle it being my phone all the time.

Many people say this in jest, but I ask that question seriously: Why not be able to make calls with your tablet? Voice recognition speed dial and headsets (wired or wireless) have been around for quite some time and would obviate mashing a book sized device against your face.

At least give me the option.

I'd probably be more tempted by a 7" than by a 5.5", assuming it would fit in my pocket. Just use a Bluetooth earpiece for talking and you don't have to worry about holding a ginormous phone to your ear. If you could successfully hit that middle sweet spot, I wouldn't want a phone AND a tablet.

Expect Apple to fire a cheap shot and try to get this banned as well, and if they get the good judge Lucy Cow...

Shots at apple are expected.Complaining about a Judge's decision you don't like is also expected.Debating a decision you don't like is welcomed... and perhaps you are correct.Calling a woman a cow because you disagree with her is sexist and sickening and totally detracts from anything else you have to say.

I called her "cow" not because I'm being sexist in any way, but because her last name is koh and "cow" is the closest.

Would have been easier if her last name was dikhed or prik or ashol, but since it isnt... i'm just working with whats available.

Expect Apple to fire a cheap shot and try to get this banned as well, and if they get the good judge Lucy Cow...

Shots at apple are expected.Complaining about a Judge's decision you don't like is also expected.Debating a decision you don't like is welcomed... and perhaps you are correct.Calling a woman a cow because you disagree with her is sexist and sickening and totally detracts from anything else you have to say.

Expect Apple to fire a cheap shot and try to get this banned as well, and if they get the good judge Lucy Cow...

Shots at apple are expected.Complaining about a Judge's decision you don't like is also expected.Debating a decision you don't like is welcomed... and perhaps you are correct.Calling a woman a cow because you disagree with her is sexist and sickening and totally detracts from anything else you have to say.

how is that possibly sexist? are you one of those people that think anything derogatory said or done to someone that happens to be a woman is sexist?

Last time I used a phone that big was in the early 90's, except it was more of a brick rather than the more aesthetically appealing GN2. Wonder if I'd feel like modern Zack Morris having a conversation on a phone that size?

Jokes aside, I can see the screen size coming in handy. Nice when I have to remote to my home computer or my work one and don't want to carry a tablet with me. Wouldn't mind getting one, only thing is I just renewed for 2yrs to get an S3.

I've been an HTC fanboy since I realized that HTC designed and manufactured my Dell Axim X50v. I literally have refused to buy any other brand of mobile device. But, now, since the upcoming HTC 5-incher is rumored not to have a stylus or SD Card slot, I'm on the verge of ending my almost decade-long love affair with HTC and going Sammy...

Expect Apple to fire a cheap shot and try to get this banned as well, and if they get the good judge Lucy Cow...

Shots at apple are expected.Complaining about a Judge's decision you don't like is also expected.Debating a decision you don't like is welcomed... and perhaps you are correct.Calling a woman a cow because you disagree with her is sexist and sickening and totally detracts from anything else you have to say.

how is that possibly sexist? are you one of those people that think anything derogatory said or done to someone that happens to be a woman is sexist?

I don't think he said that or anyone reasonable would assume that. On the other hand calling her a "cow", that's not exactly novel. In all my years, I have never heard a guy referred to as a cow.

I would drop the 'sexist' label, primarily because its yet another label for people to argue about and side step the issue. What is pertinent is that his comment was unnecessary and uncouth and all I needed to make the decision to ignore him.

Thankfully the moderator agrees (at least I don't see the post anymore).

And expect someone to whine about an Apple law suit as the first comment on Ars. It's getting old guys, move on...

Utterly, utterly, tired of it. It's just trolling now, even without the cheap shot at the judge. Going to start treating it as such when I see it.

It's not as though Apple hasn't thoroughly earned a reputation as a patent troll. If that was a problem, they should've considered not suing competitors over a bunch of BS patents that never should've been issued in the first place.

When Microsoft behaved similarly poorly in the 1990s, well-deserved hate for them flowed like rain from the heavens, so I don't see why we should treat Apple as some sort of golden calf when they do the same. Aside from the unwarranted shot at Judge Koh, MAFIAAfire's post simply reflects the reality of Apple's habit of suing over devices that are at least vaguely similar to Apple products. The comment might seem inappropriate in a discussion thread on the Galaxy Note II, but given Apple's high-profile behavior, how many people aren't reading this press release and wondering how long it'll take for Apple to sue over it?

Expect Apple to fire a cheap shot and try to get this banned as well, and if they get the good judge Lucy Cow...

Shots at apple are expected.Complaining about a Judge's decision you don't like is also expected.Debating a decision you don't like is welcomed... and perhaps you are correct.Calling a woman a cow because you disagree with her is sexist and sickening and totally detracts from anything else you have to say.

I called her "cow" not because I'm being sexist in any way, but because her last name is koh and "cow" is the closest.

Would have been easier if her last name was dikhed or prik or ashol, but since it isnt... i'm just working with whats available.

It's not as though Apple hasn't thoroughly earned a reputation as a patent troll. If that was a problem, they should've considered not suing competitors over a bunch of BS patents that never should've been issued in the first place.

I don't care, that's utterly irrelevant. They could be killing babies every third Wednesday, would still be off topic to bring it up in the first post. This is about a new phone. There is no mention of Apple in the story, we don't need to turn every Android discussion into another stupid lawsuit slime pit. People might like to actually discuss the topic at hand. Comparisons to the iPhone are fair game of course, but no more stupid patent trolls.

I will moderate anyone I see doing it, anywhere, not to protect Apple somehow, but to allow our readers to talk about the actual story. We're not going to argue about it here anymore, this is just how it is.

It's not as though Apple hasn't thoroughly earned a reputation as a patent troll. If that was a problem, they should've considered not suing competitors over a bunch of BS patents that never should've been issued in the first place.

No they haven't, you don't understand what a patent troll is. Patent trolls buy up patents and don't actually produce anything and only make money via lawsuits. Clearly, Apple produces a bunch of products. So no, not a patent troll. They have earned a reputation of using litigation in defense of their patents. Debates about the validity of those patents can and will be had and patents are upheld or invalidated in court.

Aurich wrote:

I don't care, that's utterly irrelevant. They could be killing babies every third Wednesday, would still be off topic to bring it up in the first post. This is about a new phone. There is no mention of Apple in the story, we don't need to turn every Android discussion into another stupid lawsuit slime pit. People might like to actually discuss the topic at hand. Comparisons to the iPhone are fair game of course, but no more stupid patent trolls.

I will moderate anyone I see doing it, anywhere, not to protect Apple somehow, but to allow our readers to talk about the actual story. We're not going to argue about it here anymore, this is just how it is.

*applauds Aurich* Does this mean you all are finally going to really enforce the trolling moderation? It's been months and while some stuff has gotten hit by moderation, things have generally become more of a cesspool since the announcement.

It is just samoled? Not samoled+? Poo. I was interested in it but I can't stand pentile screens and the DPI is back down to 267ppi at this resolution + dimensions combo

The pentile screen on the S3 isn't completely horrible but the PPI is high enough (306ppi) to mask it somewhat. . . True blacks are not a good enough reason to deal with the awfulness that is pentile sub pixel arrangements, sadly.

Does anyone know if the colors will be balanced properly, or at least better, from factory? They keep aiming these things at artists and what not but the colors are so incredible off on previous models as to make that a sick joke.

Joking aside, I find this somewhat intriguing for certain purposes, but don't think I could handle it being my phone all the time.

Actually, Samsung did! I have the original Galaxy Tab from 2 years ago, which had pretty standard phone components including radio (this is in the UK - think US specs were different). I had this crazy idea that I'd use it as my main phone with a Bluetooth headset. But it just wasn't that practical. Still nice to just pop in a cheap PAYG sim in though for when travelling. The Nexus 7 is a much sleeker and speedier 7", but I miss the lack of 3/4G in it.

I still have a Note version 1 and that was surprisingly practical as a phone cum tablet. Sadly that bit the dust due to user stupidity which I won't go into. Now enjoying the S3 but one day the Note form factor will grab my attention again...

Or a flat credit card sized BT device with an e-ink display, battery, speaker and mic to use with a tablet to make phone calls with.

That's it? I won't settle for anything less than a flat credit card sized device that features advanced AI and projects a hologram of Elizabeth Alexander!

Seriously, it should be fairly easy to squeeze the hardware from a BT-headset into a larger and flatter (or longer, for the stylus-like form factor) device. My main problem with BT-headsets/earpieces is that they're designed to stick them into your ears and I hate that. Something like a pencil to clip to a pocket would be different.

Or a flat credit card sized BT device with an e-ink display, battery, speaker and mic to use with a tablet to make phone calls with.

Why would the phone need to be connected to the tablet?

Because duplicating lots of hardware and maybe even requiring another contract is not a good idea?

Quote:

Personally I plan on using my Nokia c01-01 along with my Nexus 7 (once it arrives), which I think is the ideal combination, rather than trying to do everything in a single device.

Yeah, just using another phone is always an option. But I would surely like to have contacts synced, messages available on both and so on.

I'm a bit surprised that Samsung is perfectly able to make really good hardware but apart from making the things faster and the displays larger there's not much rethinking of the whole phone/tablet idea visible.

Expect Apple to fire a cheap shot and try to get this banned as well, and if they get the good judge Lucy Cow...

Shots at apple are expected.Complaining about a Judge's decision you don't like is also expected.Debating a decision you don't like is welcomed... and perhaps you are correct.Calling a woman a cow because you disagree with her is sexist and sickening and totally detracts from anything else you have to say.

how is that possibly sexist? are you one of those people that think anything derogatory said or done to someone that happens to be a woman is sexist?

I don't think he said that or anyone reasonable would assume that. On the other hand calling her a "cow", that's not exactly novel. In all my years, I have never heard a guy referred to as a cow.

I would drop the 'sexist' label, primarily because its yet another label for people to argue about and side step the issue. What is pertinent is that his comment was unnecessary and uncouth and all I needed to make the decision to ignore him.

Thankfully the moderator agrees (at least I don't see the post anymore).

i absolutely wasn't agreeing with, nor defending the name calling. i just seem to run into a certain kind of person, more often than not women (but not only women), who apply a sexist, or anti-woman label on anything speaking against/disagreeing with anything to do with women, or anything derogatory against a single person who happens to be a woman.

just because the term cow is predominately applied to women, doesn't make the user or the term sexist. i've never heard a woman described as a meat head, but i wouldn't classify it as a sexist term.

I have been looking forward to my contract with Verizon ending. I am one of those people with the remaining unlimited contracts under 3G (DroidX1) but I would be forced to pay full-retail for any phones moving forward or be forced onto a tiered data plan. Unfortunately I use a LOT of data and the cost increase of a tiered plan would kill me. T-Mobile has become a very real option for me since they still offer a truly Unlimited plan, and even their lesser plans only rely on throttling after a certain threshold. The Galaxy Note II looks to be a truly awesome and revolutionary device for Android, but I am uncertain of T-Mobile's service quality in the NY Metro area - anyone have any input on service quality around there before I finalize my decision?

also...

Aurich wrote:

... I will moderate anyone I see doing it, anywhere, not to protect Apple somehow, but to allow our readers to talk about the actual story. We're not going to argue about it here anymore, this is just how it is.

A voice of reason. I am not going to pretend that I haven't been sucked into these flamewars in the past, but neither will I be proud of that either. The truth is we all have our opinions, and none of us are likely to sway the other side - especially not through the tactics that are often used. Everyone is free to convince their family/friends/co-workers outside of here that <some device> is better than <some other device>, but it will never have any results on the Internet. It is a new day and I am moving on and I hope others can make the decision to do the same, and I commend you on making this statement. Perhaps Ars ought to run a feature article about the effects of the patent wars on internet trolling and lack of constructive criticism. Even if, by some miracle, I did manage to convince someone to change their product allegiance, it is not as if I am getting paid or seeing any benefit from it.